Portrait of Gold Medal Paralympian Timonthy Hodge OAM

I first met Tim Hodge OAM, at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre which is the same pool he competed in, at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.  He had earlier won two gold medals and a silver medal in the Paris 2024 Paralympics. I was immediately impressed with how authentically warm, confident and self-effacing Tim was about his accomplishments, speaking passionately about his work helping other amputees and people with disabilities as a role model for goal-setting and embracing new challenges.  

What struck me most was his resilience and competitive determination. In his portrait I aimed to capture something of this in his intense gaze—looking up and out of the water with steely resolve while swimming backstroke. This and his forward-reaching movement serve I think, as a metaphor for how we must all continue to stretch ourselves, build mental and physical strength while never abandoning our goals.

The painting of Tim, hopefully will inspire others to think about what success means in life.  For Tim it is about embracing the journey, abandoning the words “I can’t,” and always looking beyond the surface—especially when you see or meet someone living with a disability.